Form for concrete stoop



' 1958 B. J. MOLOUGHLIN 2,857,646

FORM FOR CONCRETE STOOP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12. 1952 HA5 fitter/ays Oct. 28, 1958 B. J. MCLOUGHLIN 2,857,646

FORM FOR CONCRETE; STOOP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1952 .n. .5 @MwOw n to r Z 0 w v. 1 w m H r ,w I

Unite My invention relates to concrete structures and particularly to aform for concrete steps such as ordinarily form the entrance to adwelling or other building.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simple form formolding a flight of steps as an integral, shell-like unit. Anotherobject is to provide a form for molding such a unit of steps having aplatform at the top thereof. Another object is to provide a form of thecharacter described which is adjustable so that it may be used forcasting units having various numbers of steps. A further object is toprovide a form of this character in which the treads of the steps moldedtherein will overhang the risers, and both the treads and the riserswill project laterally from the side wall of said unit.

I accomplish these objects by means of the novel combination of elementsdescribed below and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of my form including areinforcing assembly which may be used therewith;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a unit molded in my form and comprisingside walls, two steps and a platform at the top thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the assembled form for molding a unithaving two steps and a platform;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a unit showing, in dotted outline, ahand railing at one side thereof;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the form with a portion of theconcrete forming the platform and the steps laid thereon;

Fig. 6 is a section of Fig. 5 in the plane 66; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section through a portion of the steps showingan insert molded therein for the reception of an upright supporting thehand rail.

Referring to the drawings and first to Fig. 1, my form comprises aunitary base element 1 preferably formed of steel plates or sheets of athickness which may be about 11 gage. As illustrated, it is designed tomold a unit having only two steps and a platform at the top thereof butit is to be understood that the base unit may be designed with anynumber of steps. form may be required to support greater loads than thetreads of the steps, there is provided in the platform portion of thebase element two triangular troughs 2 and 3 in which reinforcing barsmay be inserted, thus forming beam-like strengthening portions integralwith the platform of said steps. The side walls of the element 1 have aplurality of vertically spaced horizontal rows of holes 4 therein, thefunction of which will be explained below.

Members 5 and 6 form the side walls of the form and are secured to thebase element 1 in spaced relation thereto by the members 7 and 8,respectively, which have threaded studs, shown at 9 and 10, therein. Thestuds 10 pass through holes 11 in the side walls of the base element andare secured to the base element by nuts cooperating therewith. The studs9 pass through holes 12 and the members 5 and 6 are secured thereto bySince the plat- 0 States Patent 0" 2,857,646 Patented Oct. 28, 1958means of nuts 13 as shown in Fig. 3. The bottoms of the spaces betweenthe members 5 and 6 and the side walls of the base element are closed bythe members 14 which are secured to the base element by means of thestuds 15 which pass through the openings 4 in the base element andcooperate with nuts on the inside of the base element.

In order that the ends of the platform and the treads and risers of thesteps may overhang or project beyond the side walls of the steps, themembers 5 and 6 are provided with inner portions 16, one of which isshown in Fig. l, and which are spaced from the side walls of the baseelement a distance equal to the thickness to which the side walls of thesteps are to be molded. The horizontal surfaces of the portion 16 arecoplanar with the platform portion of the base element and with thetreads of the steps thereof, while the vertical surfaces of the portions16 are coplanar with the risers in the base element. The outer portionsof the elements 5 and 6 extend above thetop surfaces of the portions 16at a distance equal to the thicknesses of the platform and treads of thesteps when molded, and the portions 17 of the members 5 and 6 projectbeyond the vertical surfaces the portions 16 so that the risers in thesteps will be molded to the desired thickness.

The members 18, whichare alike, serve to hold the concrete forming therisers and the overhanging portions of the treads in place. Each ofthese members may be said to comprise two separate portions. The innerportion 19 thereof is of an over-all depth which is equal to the heightof the risers on the base element less the thickness to which theplatform and treads of the steps are to be molded. The top surfaces ofthe portions 19 are horizontal planes, the thickness of these portionsis equal to the distance to which the platform and the treads are tooverhang the treads below, and the bottom edges 20 are beveled, asperhaps best shown in Fig. 6, so that surfaces of the treads may befinished back to their lines of intersection with the risers. Secured tothe portions 19 are the portions 21 which extend above the top surfacesof the portion 19 to a distace equal to the thickness to which thetreads and platform are molded. The members 18 are provided with studs22 which serve to secure them to the members 5 and 6; the members 5 and6 being provided with outwardly pro jecting portions 23 having holes 24therein adapted to pass the studs 22 so that they may be secured bymeans of nuts on the back of the projections 23. The space at the bottombetween the lowermost riser on the base element and the lowermostelement 18 may be closed by a member 24 of the same thickness as themember 14.

The back of the form at the top of the platform forming portion thereofis closed by the member 25 which is secured to the top of the spacers 7and 8 by studs and bolts as shown at 26 in Fig. 3.

If the unit when molded is to have only one step and a platform themembers 14 instead of being secured to the side walls of the baseelement 1 by having the studs 15 pass through the lowermost row of holes4, they are secured thereto by having the studs pass through the nexthigher row of holes 4.

in molding the steps I prefer'to use a pre-fabricated reinforcingelement such as indicated at 27' in Fig. 1' and which may be formed ofNo. 8 wire welded or otherwise secured together as shown. This is placedwithin the assembled form as'shown in Fig. 3. Bars, such as shown at 28and 29 in Fig. 6 may be suspended by wires secured to the reinforcingunit 27 so that they are in somewhat spaced relation to the bottom ofthe troughs 2 and 3 in the platform portion of the base element; andbars, such' as shown at 30 in Fig. 6, may be merely laid upon the treadportions of the reinforcing unit 27. 'Where a handrailingistobeappliedto the steps,.inserts such as shown at 31 may bemolded in the concrete forming the treads and platform of the steps. Itis to be understood, of course, ;th at,1the reinforcing element 27 is.embedded in the concrete, andhence iseither supported in .verticallyspaced relation tothe base element before the concrete is poured, or athin layer of concrete is first :laid over the base element (except:inthe troughs), the reinforcing then laid ,thereover, land the balance .ofthe concrete then poured.

While I have .described my invention its preferred embodiment it is.tobe understood that the words I have used'are ,Wordsof descriptionrather .than words of limitation and thatchanges .within .the purview ofthe tip pendedclaims may be ,made without departing from the true scopeand spirit of my .invention.

What I claim is:

.1. Aformfor molding a concrete-stoop as an integral, shellflikeunit:having side ,Walls and treadsand risers projecting laterally beyond.said sidewalls; said form comprising .a .unitary base element havingsides, treads, and risers forming'theinnerside of said fo-rm; membersforming the outer side walls of said form, each comprising innerandouterportions adapted, respectively, to support said projectingportions .of said stoop, while plastic, and confine the ends thereof;means, including vertical membersbetween .thelside walls of said unit atthe rear thereof and the inner portions .of said members forming theouter side walls of said form, for securing said members tosaid baseelement inspaced relation to the sides thereof; separateimembersextendingbeyond theuouter portions of .the side wall forming membersforming the outer sides of the risers of said form; and means forsecuring said separate members to thelmembers forming the outer sidewalls of said form in laterally spaced relation to the risers of saidbase element adistance equal to the thickness of the risers of saidstoop and in vertically spaced relation to the treadsof said baseelement immediately below a distance substantially equal to thethickness of the treads of said stoop.

2. A form for molding a concrete stoop as an integral, shell-like unithaving side walls, treads and risers in which the treads project beyondthe risers and both the treads and risers project beyond the side walls;said form comprising a unitary base element having sides, treads, andrisers forming the inner side of said form; members forming the outerside walls ofsaid form, each comprising inner and outer portionsadapted, respectively, to support those portionslof said stoop, whileplastic, which project beyond the sidelwalls and confine the endsthereof; means for securing said members to said base element in spacedrelation thereto; separate members extending beyond the outer portionsof the side wall forming members and comprising-inner and outer portionsforming, respectively, the

outer sides of the risers of said form and the outer edges of the treadsthereof; the top edges of said inner portions being plane and of a widthequal to the distance which the treads of said stoop project beyond therisers thereof, and the outer portions of said members projecting abovesaid plane portions a distance equal to the thickness of the treadsof-said stoop; and means for securing said separate members to the outersides of said side wall forming members in spaced relation to the risersof said base element.

3. A form for molding an integral, shell-like, concrete stoop comprisinga plurality of steps and a platform at the top 'tlierof; said formcomprising a unitary base element having sides, treads, risers and a topplatform forming the inner side of said form and havingparallel-disposed, transversely-extending troughs in the platformthereof each adapted to hold a straight reinforcing bar extendingsubstantially entirely across said platform for forming strengtheningribs on the bottom of the platform of said stoop; members forming theouter sides of the side walls of said form; means securing said membersto said base .element in spaced relation thereto; members formingclosures for the bottom of the spaces-between the side Wall formingportions of said form, and means for securing said closure-formingmembers to said base element at various distances from the bottom ofsaid base element depending upon the number of steps in said stoop;separate means extending beyond the outer side wall forming members andforming the outer sides of the risers of said stoop; and means securingeach of said separate means to said members forming the outer sides ofthe side walls of said form in spacedrelation both to an adjacentriser-formic portionof said base element and to the treadforming portionthereof next below.

4. A form for molding a concrete stoop as an integral, shell-like unithaving a top platform, sides, and at least one step having a tread, ariser between said tread and said piatforrn, and a riser below saidtread; said form comprising a unitary base element having a topplatform, sides, and a plurality of treads and risers forming stepsieading to said platform; members forming the outer side Walls of saidform; means securing said members to said base element in spacedrelation to the sides thereof; at least two separate members extendingbeyond the outer side Wall forming members and forming the outer sidesof the risers of said stoop; means securing said separate members to theouter sides of the members forming the outer side walls of said form;elements forming bottom closures for the spaces between the sides ofsaid base element and the members forming the outer side walls of saidform; and means for securing said closure elements to said form atvarious distances below the platform of said base element depending uponthe number of steps required in said stoop.

5. A form for molding a concrete stoop as an integral, shell-like unithaving side walls, treads and risers; said treads projecting beyond saidrisers; said form comprising a unitary base element having sides, treadsand risers forming the inner side of said form; members forming theouter side walls of said form; means for securing said members to saidbase element in spaced relation to the sides thereof; separate membersextending beyond the outer side wall forming members forming the outersides of the risers of said form and having inner and outer portionsadapted, respectively, to supoprt those portions of the treads of saidstoop projecting beyond the risers thereof, while plastic, and confinethe front edges thereof; means for securing said separate members to themembers forming the outer side walls of said form in zones beyond theinner faces of said side wall forming members in laterally spacedrelation to the risers of said base element a distance equal to thethickness of the risers of said stoop and in vertically spaced relationto the treads of said baseelerncnt immediately below a distancesubstantially equal to the thickness of the treads of said stoop;elements forming bottom closures for the spaces between the sides ofsaid base element and the members forming the outer side walls of saidform; and means for securing said closure elements to said form atvarious distances below the platform of said base element depending uponthe number of steps required in said stoop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS950,567 Kesling Mar. 1, 1910 959,438 Blose May 24, 1910 987,737 OmanMar. 28, 1911 1,041,551 Witthoefft Oct. 15, 1912 1,427,276 Feldblet etal. Aug. 29, 1922 1,586,440 Bilyeu May 25, 1926 2,255,480 Connor et al.Sept. 9, 1941 2,477,320 Tyroler July 26, 1949 2,537,396 Cato Ian. 9,1951 2,688,786 Pinner Sept. 14, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES 448,353 GreatBritain June 8, 1936

